Gabriel Eklou

Gabriel Eklou was born in 1966 in Accra, Ghana, West Africa, but spent most of his childhood in Togo. His schooling took place in Togo, Benin and Ghana. As a trained accountant he worked in the travel industry but, in 1996, he followed his passion and gift and became a full-time painter.

Gabriel Eklou - Artist Although self-taught, Gabriel benefited from having a number of people in his life who encouraged and reinforced his natural talent. There were teachers who had him draw on the blackboard to illustrate the day's studies - anatomy, biology, or maps; there was his brother's artist friend who shared his piano and who allowed a curious young boy to watch as he painted; and there were patrons who took him to African art galleries and introduced him to the world of art.

At the age of fourteen, Gabriel Eklou started selling art cards and small works which he had painted on ceiling board. As his art developed he began using larger canvases and found that they gave him the scope he needed to portray his main interests - the symbolic interpretation of community life.

Gabriel captures the essence of the African spirit with his light and graceful expressionism. His signature figures, elongated, tapered and elegant, speak a body language that is understood all over the world. With economy, Gabriel conveys the inner energy in an impending gesture. Whether dynamic or in repose, his people reside in a timeless landscape of calm earth tones.

This talented and passionate African artist has kept a steady pace since 1996, exhibiting three or four times a year. His art can be found in corporate and private collections in Ghana, West Africa, Togo, Germany, England, Denmark, Belgium, the USA, Japan and Canada.